Car-coupling



(No Model.)

JJW. BAKER & G. A. PRESCOTT.

GAR COUPLING.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES I efizw' v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J AOOB \V.BAKER AND GEORGE A. PRESCOTT, OF DOVER, NEW JERSEY..

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIPICATIDN forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,948, dated August 9,1887.

Application filed January 19, 1887. Serial No. 224,756. (No model.)

inafter described, and whereby not only isj a1n-' ming of the pin avoided and a straight lift or movement obtained for it under all circumstances, but breakage or interference with the proper action of the coupling, by the springing of certain parts on the cars coming togethe y is prevented, and an easier and more certain action generally is obtained, also an increased durability secured for the coupling.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

'in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a central vertical longitudinal section of a draw-bar and its connec tions having our invention applied, the parts upon the left being shown in the position they assumewhen the coupling pin isin place within the coupling-link, while upon the right the parts are represented as in the position they assume when the coupling-pin has been raised. Fig. 2 is a face view of the'draw-bar and its connections, with the parts in position shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a toothed stop which forms a part of our invention.

A A are the draw-bars of two adjacent carsward toward the front of the draw-head, with the rear wall terminating below in a further recess or cavity, d;

C is a rotatable toothed circular stop, having fast hubs or opposite side pivots, e e, which' are free to turn and work up and down within an inclined slot or groove,f, in each side wall of the recess a, said slots or grooves conforming to the forward inclination of the recess 0, excepting at their lower ends, which may be bent downward. These slots or grooves serve to guide the toothed stop 0 as, in the operation of the coupling, it moves up and down the recess 0. Where the recess 0 and cavity (1 meet, a projection, g, is formed, which projection engages with the teeth of the rotatable stop (7 when said stop is in its lowermost position, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 1.

D is a sliding cover to prevent the toothed stop 0 from becoming accidentally misplaced.

E is the coupling-pin, and F the couplinglink.

WVhen the coupling-pin is drawn upward and partially out of the draw-head,which releases the couplin'g-link, the toothed stop 0 is free to move downward to the position at, which it is shown'at the rightinFig. 1. \Vhen in this position, the upper front portion of said toothed stop will serve .to support the raised coupling pin, and is preferably made to fit within a curved recess, h, in the pin in order that said pin may be held at a less height than otherwise wouldbe necessary and will have a less distance to dropwhen coupling; but this recess k may be dispensed with, if desired. The stop 0 is held in this supporting position of the coupling-pin by the projection or lip g engaging with the teeth of said stop, which prevents the weight of the coupling-pin from moving the stop out of place.

. In coupling with the link of the approaching car said link will strike in a gradual and easy manner the toothed circular stop 0 and force said stop diagonally upwardthat is,up

the inclined recess 0, out of support of the coupling pimwhich is then free toidrop to its engaging position with thelink,as shown at the left-hand of Fig. 1. As the coupling-link thus enters into engaging position it passes under the toothed stop 0 to lift it and force it-back, and will, by reason of the shoclgtemporarily drive said stop up from off the lip or projection but the stop will afterward return to its former position, so as to engage again with the lip g. In this upward and downward movement of ICO the stop, however, it. will be rotated,whereby a fresh toothed surface will be presented both to support the coupling-pin after ithas been uncoupled and to engage with the lip 7, thus adding largely to the durability of the stop, besides securing a very gradual and easy action. This toothed stop essentially differs from the sliding block described in another application for Letters Patent by us, Serial No. 213,000, filed September S, 1886, said sliding block being fitted to move up and down an inclined recess in the d raw-bar, and being constructed with a curved upper face adapted to fit a curved recess in a couplingpin, and having a shoulder which strikes against theperipheral surface of the pin, also a lug or projection arranged to rest within a special recess in the draw-bar to prevent the coupling-pin from canting the sliding block. No claim is here made to such construction nor any of the features thereof separately considered.

The couplingpin F, as in another application for patent made by us, N 210,479, filed November 20, 1880, is provided with a cam-' sentially differ.

G is the working or controlling cross shaft, which may be hung in the usual close bearings at either end, only one of which, i, is here shown. Independently of these bearings at the end of the car are other intermediate bearings, If, constructed to receive the shaft G freely or loosely within them, the same being made with an enlarged oblong slot, 70, which will admit of the springing of the shaft in and out relatively to the end of the car, so that when two cars are brought violently together, with both coupling-pins up, as sometimes occurs, and causes breakage or straining of the mechanism used to lift or raise and lower the coupling-pin, the shaft G, by its loose support in the bearings H, will be free to spring or yield and so reduce or do away with permanent damage to it or the other operating devices connected with said shaft. This provision, however, requires that there should be a play or lost-motion connection between the operating shaft G and the coupling-pin. To this end we provide the operating rock-shaft G, be-

tween its free bearings II, with a coupling-pinlifting arm Z; but this arm does not act directly upon the coupling-pin, but is connected therewith by or through an interposed clevis, I, which engages freely or loosely with the coupling-pin E through the slot on in the upper end of said pin, and is not fixedly pivoted at its other end to the lifting-arm Z, but has its pivot-pin a pass through a longitudinal slot, 0, therein. This construction gives all the requisite play to provide for any springing of the shaft G and to insure an easy and straight lift of the coupling-pin under all circumstances, as well as a free drop of the same when coupling.

The shaft G maybe operated, as usual, by an arm, 1', to which is attached a chain or loose connection, s,'that may pass up back of a pullcy, 1 and which serves, when pulled upon, to turn the shaft G to lift the coupling-pin as required. The shaft G may also have a crank, 22, on its end or ends to control its n'ioven'ient, and, if necessary, to make the clevis I act downward upon the coupling-pin should it by any possibility jam.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the draw-head and coupling-pin, of the movable toothed circular stop 0, adapted to support the pin when raised, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the draw-bar having a link-entering recess 1) in its head, rear inclined recess 0, an inclined slot or groove,f, in its sides, and a lip or 1i rojeetion, y, of the circular toothed stop 0, provided with pivots or bearings c for operation in relation with the coupling pin and link of a ear-coupling, essentially as described.

3. The combination of the operating-shaft G and one or more slotted intermediate bearings, II, the slotted lifting-arm Z, the clevis I, and the coupling-pin E, having a slot, on, in its upper end, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JACOB \V. BAKER. GEORGE A. PRESCOTT.

Witnesses:

\VILLIAM B. HEYMAX, J AMES H. NEIGIIBOUR. 

